ClickCease
Free consultations · Se habla espanol
Centennial, Colorado. CGH Injury Lawyers represents survivors of sexual assault across Arapahoe County.

IT'S MORE THAN MONEY.

Centennial Sexual Assault Civil Lawyers Who Put Survivors in Control

If you were sexually assaulted in Centennial or anywhere in Arapahoe County, a civil claim lets you pursue compensation and institutional accountability on your own terms, separate from any criminal case. CGH Injury Lawyers serves survivors across Arapahoe County from our Denver office with a trauma-informed approach. You decide every step, and your first conversation with us is confidential and protected by attorney-client privilege.

No fee unless we win
Get My Free Case Review How we protect your privacy
Or speak with us privately now (303) 209-9395

You are in control

A confidential conversation, on your terms

There is no obligation and no public record when you reach out. We listen, explain your options, and move at a pace that respects you. Nothing happens that you have not chosen.

  • Protected by attorney-client privilege
  • Jane Doe and John Doe filings available
  • Bilingual, trauma-informed team
5-star rated on Google ABOTA trial advocate on the team Confidential, trauma-informed No fee unless we win

A civil sexual assault claim is a separate legal path from criminal prosecution. It runs on a lower standard of proof, puts you in control, and can reach institutions whose negligence created the conditions for harm, not just the individual who caused it.

  • Colorado eliminated the statute of limitations for civil claims based on sexual misconduct effective January 1, 2022 (C.R.S. 13-80-103.7). There is no filing deadline. That open window also covers older abuse if the prior deadline had not yet expired by January 1, 2022, which is a fact-specific analysis worth a confidential review of your exact timeline.
  • Civil cases require proof by a preponderance of the evidence, meaning more likely than not. That is a far lower bar than the beyond-a-reasonable-doubt standard in a criminal case. You can pursue a civil claim whether or not criminal charges were ever filed, or whatever the outcome of a criminal proceeding.
  • Institutional liability is often the most significant part of these cases. Schools, employers, healthcare facilities, rideshare companies, group homes, and religious organizations operating in Centennial and across Arapahoe County may each bear responsibility if they failed to protect you through negligent hiring, supervision, or retention.

CGH Injury Lawyers serves Centennial survivors from our Denver office. We do not have a Centennial office and we do not pretend otherwise. What we do have is a team of trial-ready attorneys who handle the institutions, conduct the investigation, and take cases as far as they need to go in Arapahoe County District Court. Your first consultation is free and completely confidential.

Local Knowledge

Centennial courts. Centennial trauma care. The local context behind a civil claim.

A civil sexual assault case is tied to real places: the courthouse where a jury would decide it, the facility that treated you, and the institutions operating in Centennial and Arapahoe County that may bear responsibility for what happened. Here is the ground we work on.

Courthouse

Arapahoe County District Court, 18th Judicial District

A civil sexual assault lawsuit brought by a Centennial or Arapahoe County resident that exceeds the county-court jurisdictional limit is filed in Arapahoe County District Court at the Arapahoe County Justice Center, 7325 S. Potomac St., Centennial, CO 80112, in the Eighteenth Judicial District. The courthouse sits in Centennial itself. Courts in this district can grant protective orders, allow anonymous filings such as Jane Doe and John Doe pleadings, seal sensitive records, and impose limits on deposition attendance to protect a survivor's privacy during litigation. We handle cases filed in Arapahoe County District Court directly, without referring your case to outside counsel.

Trauma Care

HCA HealthONE Swedish and AdventHealth Littleton

Survivors in Centennial and across Arapahoe County are frequently treated at HCA HealthONE Swedish (Swedish Medical Center), 501 E. Hampden Ave., Englewood, CO 80113, a state-designated Level I trauma and burn center, or at AdventHealth Littleton (formerly Littleton Adventist Hospital), 7700 S. Broadway, Littleton, CO 80122, an American College of Surgeons verified and state-designated Level II Trauma Center. Medical records from either facility, including forensic exam documentation, psychiatric referrals, and follow-up care records, form a key part of the evidence base for a civil damages claim.

Institutions in Arapahoe County

Schools, employers, healthcare, transit, and youth organizations

Centennial and Arapahoe County are home to a large suburban population served by Arapahoe County school districts, major employers in the Denver Tech Center corridor along I-25, healthcare systems, rideshare networks that serve commuters throughout the Arapahoe Road and Parker Road corridors, youth sports organizations and after-school programs, and group-home and assisted-living facilities. Each of these institutional categories has produced civil liability cases in Colorado and across the country when its management failed to screen, supervise, or respond to misconduct by those it placed in positions of trust. We investigate the institutions as thoroughly as we investigate the individual act.

Two separate tracks

Why a civil sexual assault claim matters, and how it differs from a criminal case

A criminal prosecution and a civil claim serve fundamentally different purposes. Understanding the difference is where your options begin.

Criminal case

Brought by the state

The Arapahoe County District Attorney decides whether to file charges, carries the burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt, and aims for punishment such as incarceration. The survivor is a witness, not the party in control. A criminal case cannot directly pay for your therapy, your lost income, or the harm to your life.

Civil case

Brought by the survivor

You are the party in control. Proof is by a preponderance of the evidence, meaning more likely than not. The goal is financial compensation and institutional accountability. You decide whether to proceed, at what pace, and whether to accept a settlement or push to trial.

Because the civil standard of proof is lower, you can succeed in a civil case even when no criminal charges were filed, when charges were dropped, or when a criminal jury returned a not-guilty verdict. The two outcomes are legally independent. If a criminal conviction does occur first, it can actually strengthen a civil claim, because a guilty verdict at the higher burden is powerful evidence in a civil proceeding.

For many survivors the most meaningful outcome of a civil case is not just the financial recovery. It is the formal finding that what happened was wrong, and the institutional change that comes when an organization is held financially accountable for the conditions it created.

Colorado time limits

How much time do Centennial survivors have to file a civil claim?

Colorado expanded the civil filing windows for sexual misconduct and childhood sexual abuse significantly in recent years. If you have assumed a claim is too old to pursue, that assumption may be wrong.

What Colorado law says about filing deadlines

  • For civil claims based on sexual misconduct, Colorado eliminated the statute of limitations effective January 1, 2022. These claims can now be filed at any time under C.R.S. 13-80-103.7. The open window is not limited to recent events. It also reaches older abuse if the prior filing deadline had not yet run as of January 1, 2022, which is a fact-specific analysis that requires a careful review of your exact situation.
  • Under C.R.S. 13-80-103.7, Colorado imposes no statute of limitations for sexual-misconduct civil claims accruing on or after January 1, 2022, or for claims that were not yet time-barred as of January 1, 2022.
  • If you were abused as an adult rather than as a minor, the sexual misconduct claim under C.R.S. 13-80-103.7 still applies, with no filing deadline. The right action is a confidential review of where your specific situation stands, before you assume time has run out.

These laws were written because survivors often need years, sometimes decades, before they are ready to come forward. Colorado's Legislature recognized that reality. If you have waited, you likely still have options. We will evaluate your situation and tell you honestly what the timeline looks like.

Institutional accountability

Holding Centennial institutions accountable, not just individuals

One of the most significant features of a civil sexual assault case is the ability to reach the organization, not just the person who committed the act. An institution that created or ignored the conditions that allowed the harm often bears legal responsibility, and often has the resources to provide meaningful compensation.

Theory of liability

Negligent hiring

Organizations must conduct reasonable background checks before placing someone in a position of trust. Hiring without reviewing prior complaints, criminal history, or professional disciplinary records can create liability when harm follows for Arapahoe County employers, schools, and healthcare facilities.

Theory of liability

Negligent supervision

Even adequate hiring does not excuse an organization from the duty to supervise. When administrators receive complaints or warning signs about inappropriate behavior and fail to investigate or act, they share responsibility for what follows. This pattern appears consistently in institutional sexual assault cases.

Theory of liability

Negligent retention

When an institution learns of misconduct and keeps a person in a position to harm others anyway, it becomes liable for later abuse. This is particularly common where an organization quietly transferred a known problem to another location rather than removing it. Centennial employers and school districts are subject to this theory.

Theory of liability

Vicarious liability

In certain circumstances an employer can be held responsible for an employee's acts when the employment relationship created the opportunity for the abuse. Rideshare companies, healthcare employers, and youth-serving programs all face this theory when their workers harm clients or participants while working in the field.

Categories of Centennial institutions we investigate

  • Arapahoe County public and private schools
  • Denver Tech Center employers and staffing companies
  • Youth sports leagues, camps, and after-school programs
  • Rideshare and transportation companies serving Centennial
  • Healthcare facilities and psychiatric providers
  • Group homes and foster care agencies in Arapahoe County
  • Assisted-living and residential facilities
  • Religious organizations and youth ministries

Our investigation identifies not only who caused the harm but which institutions created the conditions that allowed it. We use civil discovery to obtain complaint histories, personnel files, background-check records, and institutional policies that may not be available through any other channel. That work is often what turns a case against an individual into accountability for an organization.

It is not about reliving what happened. It is about reclaiming control and forcing the institutions that failed you to answer for it.
CGH Injury Lawyers

Compensation

What a civil sexual assault claim can recover for Centennial survivors

A civil claim seeks to make you whole. Colorado law recognizes several categories of damages in sexual abuse and assault cases, and we document every dimension so nothing is left out.

Economic damages (no cap)

  • Therapy, psychiatric care, and medication costs
  • Emergency medical care and follow-up treatment
  • Lost wages and missed work
  • Reduced future earning capacity
  • Other out-of-pocket costs tied to the assault

Non-economic damages

  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional distress, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Loss of consortium for a spouse or family member

Punitive damages in egregious cases

In cases involving conduct that courts characterize as willful and wanton, such as an institutional cover-up or deliberate indifference to a known pattern of abuse, Colorado courts may also award punitive damages (C.R.S. 13-21-102). These are separate from compensation. Their purpose is to punish egregious conduct and deter similar behavior by others. The court may award up to an amount equal to the actual damages, and in cases of continued willful and wanton conduct the court has discretion to raise that to three times the actual damages. We identify and document the facts that support punitive exposure as part of building every serious case.

Colorado modified comparative fault

Colorado's modified comparative fault rule (C.R.S. 13-21-111) can arise in civil cases when a defendant tries to assign fault to the survivor. Under Colorado law, a plaintiff can recover damages only if their share of fault is less than 50 percent. If a survivor is found 50 percent or more at fault, recovery is barred. If a survivor is found, for example, 20 percent at fault, recovery is reduced by 20 percent. In sexual assault civil cases, attempts to assign fault to survivors are aggressively challenged, and we build the record to foreclose that strategy from the outset.

Your privacy and safety

How we protect your privacy and your control throughout the process

Public exposure is one of the most common fears survivors share about civil litigation. Colorado courts provide meaningful privacy protections, and your safety is a central concern in how these cases are structured, not an afterthought.

Anonymity

Jane Doe and John Doe filings in Arapahoe County

In many sexual abuse cases, courts allow survivors to file under a pseudonym so their real name does not appear in public court records. Arapahoe County District Court can grant this protection, and we pursue it when appropriate so your decision to seek accountability does not force a public identification you have not chosen.

Protective orders

Sealed records and restricted depositions

Courts can seal sensitive documents, restrict who may attend depositions, and limit disclosure of personal information discovered during the case. These procedural protections prevent litigation from becoming a second violation of your privacy. We seek them routinely in cases that require them.

Confidential from the start

A private first conversation

Your initial case evaluation is completely confidential and protected by attorney-client privilege. There is no public record of your reaching out and no obligation to proceed. You learn your options before making any decision.

Trauma-informed pace

You set the pace

Litigation handled carelessly can be retraumatizing. Our team allows support persons in meetings, builds scheduling flexibility into testimony preparation, and moves at a pace that respects your emotional capacity. You remain in control of each major decision throughout the case.

After the assault

What to do after a sexual assault in Centennial

There is no single right timeline for survivors. These steps are here to help you understand your options, not to impose a deadline on your healing process.

  1. Seek medical care when you are ready

    Centennial survivors can access care at HCA HealthONE Swedish in Englewood, a state-designated Level I trauma and burn center, or at AdventHealth Littleton, a state-designated Level II Trauma Center in Littleton. A forensic medical examination can document injuries, collect evidence, and connect you to support services. You do not have to report to law enforcement to request a forensic exam in Colorado, and receiving care does not commit you to any legal path.

  2. Document what you remember

    When you feel ready and safe, write down what happened in as much detail as you can remember, including the location, the date, the individuals involved, and the name of any organization or institution involved. Keep any relevant communications, photographs, or records. Your memory and your own account are evidence.

  3. Do not be pressured by any institution

    Schools, employers, religious organizations, and other institutions sometimes respond to a survivor's complaint by pressuring silence, offering internal resolutions, or steering the person away from outside legal help. Those internal processes do not protect your legal rights and do not extend any legal deadlines. An attorney can advise you before you engage with any institutional response.

  4. Understand your timeline under Colorado law

    Colorado eliminated the statute of limitations for civil sexual misconduct claims effective January 1, 2022 (C.R.S. 13-80-103.7), which means there is no filing deadline for most civil sexual assault claims in Colorado. This does not mean waiting is without consequence. Evidence can be lost, witnesses can become unavailable, and institutional records may be destroyed over time. A confidential review with an attorney tells you where your situation stands.

  5. Call CGH for a confidential case review

    There is no obligation and no public record when you call. We explain your options, evaluate the institutional landscape, and tell you honestly what a civil claim can accomplish for you. We serve Centennial and all of Arapahoe County from our Denver office at 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201. CGH Injury Lawyers does not have a Centennial office. Call (303) 209-9395.

How it works

How CGH Injury Lawyers handles a civil sexual assault case

Every case moves at a pace the survivor controls. These are the stages a civil claim typically passes through, from a confidential first conversation to trial when an institution refuses to be accountable.

  1. Confidential consultation

    We listen, explain your options, and answer your questions at no cost and with no obligation to proceed. What you share is protected by attorney-client privilege. This conversation is private, and nothing about it becomes a public record.

  2. Under C.R.S. 13-80-103.7, Colorado imposes no statute of limitations for sexual-misconduct civil claims accruing on or after January 1, 2022, or for claims that were not yet time-barred as of January 1, 2022.

  3. Investigation using civil discovery

    Civil discovery gives us tools that criminal investigations often do not use. We can subpoena employment files, complaint histories, institutional policies, background-check records, and communications that document what an organization knew and when. This investigation is where institutional accountability cases are built or broken.

  4. Demand and negotiation

    We document the full scope of harm, including therapy costs, lost wages, emotional distress, and long-term impact, and pursue resolution with the responsible parties. Most civil sexual abuse cases settle before trial, often through confidential agreements that protect your identity and the terms.

  5. Litigation in Arapahoe County District Court

    If an institution refuses to be fair, we file in Arapahoe County District Court at the Arapahoe County Justice Center, 7325 S. Potomac St., Centennial, CO 80112. We handle Arapahoe County litigation directly, without referring cases to outside counsel. Courts in this district can allow anonymous pleadings, seal sensitive records, and impose protective limits on sensitive testimony.

Your team

The attorneys handling your Centennial sexual assault case

CGH Injury Lawyers is a eight-attorney Colorado personal injury firm, formerly Cheney Galluzzi and Howard, founded in 2016. Managing Partner Kevin Cheney is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and has tried over 25 cases to verdict. Timothy G. Tarr has been recognized by Best Lawyers every year since 2023. Every Centennial sexual assault case is handled by a licensed Colorado attorney, not a paralegal, from the first confidential call through the final outcome. We are willing to take a case as far as it needs to go in Arapahoe County District Court, and that genuine trial readiness shapes every offer an institution makes before trial.

ABOTA trial advocate on the team Tim Tarr: Best Lawyers in America since 2023 Institutional liability experience Trauma-informed approach Arapahoe County District Court experience Bilingual EN / ES Confidential consultation No fee unless we win

Frequently asked questions

Centennial sexual assault lawyer, frequently asked questions

Does Colorado still have a statute of limitations for civil sexual assault claims?

No. Colorado eliminated the statute of limitations for civil claims based on sexual misconduct effective January 1, 2022 (C.R.S. 13-80-103.7). Civil sexual assault claims can now be filed at any time in Colorado. That open window also reaches older abuse if the prior deadline had not yet expired as of January 1, 2022, which is a fact-specific analysis. If you have assumed your situation is too old to pursue, a confidential case review will tell you where your specific timeline stands.

Can I file a civil claim even though no criminal charges were filed?

Yes. A civil sexual assault claim is entirely independent of any criminal case. You can file a civil claim whether or not criminal charges were ever brought, whether the Arapahoe County District Attorney declined to prosecute, or whether a criminal jury returned a not-guilty verdict. Civil cases use a lower standard of proof, a preponderance of the evidence, meaning more likely than not, compared to beyond a reasonable doubt in criminal proceedings. The two outcomes are legally separate.

Can I hold a Centennial school, employer, or organization liable, not just the individual?

Often, yes. Schools, employers, healthcare facilities, rideshare companies, religious organizations, and youth-serving programs in Centennial and across Arapahoe County may each bear legal responsibility if they failed to adequately screen, supervise, or respond to misconduct. Theories include negligent hiring, negligent supervision, negligent retention, and in some circumstances vicarious liability. Holding an institution accountable can produce compensation from a party with meaningful resources and can force organizational changes that protect others. Civil discovery lets us obtain employment files, complaint records, and institutional policies that document what the organization knew and what it failed to do.

Will my name become public if I file a civil lawsuit in Arapahoe County?

Not necessarily. Arapahoe County District Court can allow survivors to file under a pseudonym such as Jane Doe or John Doe, so your real name does not appear in public court records. The court can also seal sensitive documents, restrict deposition attendance, and limit disclosure of personal information uncovered during litigation. Your initial consultation with us is completely confidential and protected by attorney-client privilege with no public record whatsoever.

What compensation can a civil sexual assault claim recover?

A civil claim can recover economic damages including therapy and psychiatric care costs, emergency medical care, lost wages, and reduced future earning capacity. It can also recover non-economic damages including pain and suffering, emotional distress such as PTSD and anxiety, and loss of enjoyment of life. In cases involving egregious conduct such as an institutional cover-up or deliberate indifference to a known pattern of abuse, Colorado courts may award punitive damages (C.R.S. 13-21-102), which are intended to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar conduct. We document every dimension of harm so nothing is left out of the claim.

Does CGH Injury Lawyers have an office in Centennial?

No. CGH Injury Lawyers has one physical office at 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205. We serve Centennial and all of Arapahoe County from that Denver office. When litigation is required, we file in Arapahoe County District Court at the Arapahoe County Justice Center, 7325 S. Potomac St., Centennial, CO 80112, in the Eighteenth Judicial District, and we handle those cases directly without referring them to outside counsel. Call us at (303) 209-9395.

Related Centennial pages and Colorado practice areas

Centennial

Sexual assault resources

Related injury cases

Firm

IT'S MORE THAN MONEY.

When you are ready, we are here. On your terms.

Free, confidential consultation. No fee unless we win. Serving Centennial and Arapahoe County from Denver. Available in English and Spanish.

Get My Free Case Review (303) 209-9395

Prefer to read first? See how we protect your privacy and your control.

CGH Injury Lawyers · Serving Centennial from 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205